A week ago, nobody outside of people who knew them directly personally knew who "the Tennessee Three" were. Now the entire world knows who they are, and now there's not a damn thing the Unreconstructed Confederates masquerading as Republicans in the Tennessee statehouse can do about them. The governor was forced to issue an executive order mandating background checks and has asked the legislature to pass a "red flag law." Justin Jones said tonight he's only heard people say they never will, but I think now that they have to operate in the glare of the lights with the rock pulled away that the cockroaches are going to have to do something. In the meantime, in the face of all that, the Indiana state senate passes a resolution commending the NRA, which is going to have their national convention in Indianapolis this weekend. Trump will be there as a speaker, along with the other Usual Suspects.
And Trump managed (again) to reveal himself as the dictator-wannabe he is in his "interview" with Phucker Carlson last night. Watching Carlson sit there listening to the gibberish with a look of adoration on his face, knowing from the Dominion suit what he really thinks... god what a collection of dumbphuckery.
Some great writing there, TC! I like your name for that schmuck, Carlson. Oh and I thought it might be redundant to say “Confederates masquerading as Republicans” because aren’t they one and the same?😄
TC I finally upgraded to paid for Robert Hubble! We agree on so much! I basically posted the same thing on Robert Reich. WE ALL KNOW who the JUSTINS are now! It makes my heart happy!!
the NRA held their convention around the time of the Uvalde massacre.
(Although Greg Abbott did switch from an in-person speech to a livestream. He didn't bother to attend any of the funerals for those victims. And he certainly took no action to prevent it from happening again. Beto should have won the governor's race.)
Due to their "take my gun out of my cold, dead hands" stance, this nation is experiencing lives lost to gun violence DAILY.
No matter when or where they hold conventions, it will be associated with "the most recent" preventable tragedy.
We should emphasize that abortion is not only about ending an unwanted pregnancy. It is also the indicated medical procedure for numerous conditions, such as ectopic and molar pregnancies, cancer treatment, and miscarriages (often of very-much-wanted pregnancies). The draconian abortion bans are harming mothers of children who already exist, and women who want to become mothers but may not be able to because of dangerously denied medical treatment.
The right portrays abortion as “girls just wanna have fun” version of birth control. (Which should be no one’s business anyway.) Most women seeking abortion are already mothers who don’t have the resources for more children.
As the women’s comments here reflect, some women are lucky to have easy pregnancies with happy outcomes. But, especially as women have children later than they used to, more difficulties can arise. Bringing children into the world is steeped in emotions of all kinds, with a huge array of complications. The mythology surrounding childbearing keeps the reality for so many well hidden. Just ask the women we know. More conversation!
If the Mother dies, so does the fetus. So how can you deny the Mother treatment to save the fetus??? If there is a miscarriage the fetus is already dead, so why endanger the life of the Mother to save a dead fetus? Other than the obvious, is there something medically I don't understand?
The way these laws are written are so lacking in medical understanding that doctors and hospitals fear reprisals because the procedure is the same regardless of the reason for it. If they’re going after women having miscarriages, they obviously aren’t focused on actual healthcare. But this is getting beyond my knowledge of the specific laws in each state.
The same folks who gave us the "sanctity of life" meme have determined it is god's will if mothers die. True! There is so much Middle Ages religiosity behind it all, including the disposability of women.
Republicans do NOT care about women-they want only to control them and keeping them pregnant and poor is a good idea in their ideology-the more kids the better to keep them poor and unemployable.
Just a note on your grains of sand: when Rosa Parks was arrested it was shortly after she (an employee at the ACLU) completed some training in nonviolent resistance by Miles Horton at Highlander education center. Highlander was also a place visited by Elinor Roosevelt and it continues today working for social justice. Pat sax
Hi David! IMHO, Eleanor Roosevelt was a saint. Her endless activism has not been given enough credit. I do believe it influenced FDR's legislation., as did his Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins.
Frances Perkins certainly did. I don't know enough about Eleanor Roosevelt to comment on her influence, but I'll take your word for it. But I'm obsessive about correct spelling.
It is a pleasure to read about people who deserve praise for their competence; I take that back -- for the excellence of their work: Alvin Bragg sticking it to Jim Jordan, Justin Pearson taking up the mantle of leadership, Joe Biden and family and staff in Northern Ireland. Let's name the effective judges as well -- Mary Kay Vyskocil, the Trump appointee who responded so effectively to Bragg's lawsuit, Eric Davis who is presiding so well over Dominion v Fox News. It may be too long a history with too many people to credit to appreciate those who brought us to a competent agency such as the FDA. It is worth knowing, though. These are the people who make the American system work.
Definitely, Leonard, and thanks for pointing them out. It is invigorating to see a Trump appointed judge being so thorough, so careful about Bragg’s lawsuit.
She may have been recommended to Trump by his older sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, who was a federal judge. (And who is not to be confused with former DC mayor Marion Barry.)
Thank you, Robert. I too feel so energized about the two Justins and Ms. Johnson. Listening to both of these young men speak is reminiscent of MLK’s speeches of hope. I think we might just get there sooner than later with this type of leadership. In the meantime, WTAF does Jordan think he is? He is so disgusting, so vile. I hope that smirk gets slapped right off of his gnarly face! Okay, I’m done. Thanks for all of tonight’s positivity.
ACTUALLY pregnancy qualifies under short-term disability as an illness - entirely departs from how the FDA governs. I suspect the lawyers will consider that as part of their argument.
A couple of points… If Hillary Clinton had not coined the term, safe, legal and rare, we would be better off. It gave credibility to the forces demonizing abortion as a bad thing, when in fact, it is often a good and a necessary thing in women’s lives, it enables us to flee abusive men and to seek economic independence. Women like Lilly Ledbetter, and those brave souls who went to jail in the late 80s protesting the failure of the ERA to be ratified should join your list of honored ancestors, along with Pat McGinnis, who began the effort for safe and humane abortion services , along with sympathetic clergy, is another unknown hero.
Yup. Hillary and Bill were doing a dance around what should be a straight up right of womanhood. They were walking a calculated middle of the political road. Which also led to a banking crisis several years later.
But I also believe that some Dems and supporters of womens' right of choice have been too shy about saying things like: "There would be less need for abortions if sex education and contraception were more easily obtained. That maybe we would see less abortions if domestic abusers were punished more powerfully....if men literally had to bear the cost of raising a child they co-created...use DNA to track them and attach their pay for 21 years."
No question that reproductive choice should be an iron clad right. But society could do more to prevent unwanted pregnancies and hold men accountable for their acts.
Bill, your post is right on point. The damn fools would be far better off if they focused on sex education, contraception and reducing abuse. I’d add they might certainly be showing their love for children IF they focused on reducing childhood poverty, maternal and childhood deaths during or after birth.
Lauren, I don’t remember hearing that term, or maybe I wasn’t paying attention. When I read it just now I didn’t quite ‘get it’ but my hackles went up. I immediately felt like a person who must sugar coat something so as not to piss someone off. Like pussy footing around. That is the demonizing force right there- my God. Rare???? Freakin Pu-lease. Agreeing to it being a rare event only opens the opposition to say “YoK… we are all done here, it’s no longer rare enough”.
Actually Bill used that term - successfully, Hillary not so much.
It looks like comments above took the words right out of my mouth. First, while all of your daily posts are very well written and packed with insights I value, today’s post was exceptional. The imagery created by your words brought back vivid memories. I remember as a young boy the unfolding events of the 60s: JFK, MLK, Bobbie, Selma, I have a Dream, Huey Helicopters and weekly KIA totals on Cronkite, Woodstock, etc. All were terrifying events in a world spinning too fast. But as a 72 year old, I look back and see how so many of these events started us in different directions. Butterfly wings. I see the seeds of change in your narrative and the images you created brought a smile to my face. Evoked emotion deep within. Fanned the glowing embers of hope. Simple acts of courage, in nondescript locales, are growing in frequency. The storylines are changing. It has been a long winter (especially up here in Minnesota), but spring is coming. Thank you for your daily dose of sanity.
Re: The Justins. One interesting thing about this whole set of events is that for the first time, that I have seen, it is some black men standing up to call out the issue with gun violence. The ER doc in Tennessee who had to address those severely injured in that mass shooting said he was weary not because of that mass shooting but because he saw almost 3 or 4 gun injuries per day in their hospital. Sure the mass shootings are horrible but that is not the majority of gun injuries. There are plenty coming from other illegally gotten guns and being used. In the cities guns can seem to be a status symbol but even when used improperly there can be a code of silence about who did the evil deed. Maybe when black men of a young age shout out against guns others from the city may also get the message and turn away from this as a way to prove masculinity and settle disagreements. Fingers crossed.
You must be feeling better. That was an amazing piece of writing. I most particularly like the analogy that going into a trial is like a blast furnace... that will stick with me. And thanks for the ever-positiveclosing.
Of course, we’re all watching Jim Jordan WEAPONIZE the federal government against any of the R’s (aka Trump’s) perceived enemies. The irony is so stark and the lies are so big. We cannot become numb to their evil. Their goal is to normalize their avalanche of dirty deeds (courtesy of Michael Cohen) so they become course of business — just like the slow erosion toward Nazi-ism in the 1930’s. We must actively resist the fatigue that will pull us all under water. Call it what it is and do not look away.
The sad part of all of this is Jim Jordan’s constituents in the Ohio district he represents is so gerrymandered that he can do whatever he wants and not fear accountability with voters in his district. We need to change that.
Excellent Sheila. We cannot and should not look away or let moans of fatigue keep us from our active engagement. We are democracy when we take action, speak out and vote.
I knew what you meant by angle of repose from reading Wallace Stegner’s wonderful novel of that name. I see in my mind’s eye the crumbled rocks against the side of the mountain.
Sometimes great art is what keeps me from despair over "what fools these mortals be." I've read Stegner's "Angle of Repose" three times. Also, be sure to find a photo of Rodin's sculpture of the same name.(Its official name is “ Spirit of Eternal Rest”.) I wish I were more adept at posting links.
Although the stars of the GOP clown show with all the ridiculousness are aligning with all these potential indictments and lawsuits, it still requires us to be uber-vigilant and Uber-active. We cannot just depend on the courts but keep clearly repeating the messages for 2024 and beyond. Thanks Robert!
So, if pregnancy is not an illness, why did I throw up all the time during the first trimester? Why was I on bed rest -- Dr's orders -- for the last trimester? This judge with no medical training, a Jesus fixation and a bad case of misogyny could use some education in the mysterious workings of the female body beyond his own fixed ideas, no?
Grains of sand can move mountains, especially when we all work together. If the Rupugliguns wanted to end liberal movement in this country, they badly misjudged the backlash. Of course, we badly misjudged the backlash that electing an African-American to the presidency would cost, but it did bring out the cockroaches into the full light of day. Now it's time for the other 70% of Americans to stand up for our freedoms.
Ellen, You are right to point out that the election of our first African-American president brought out the hidden anxieties and racism. Now it is front and center. The path ahead requires acknowledgment of this fact and the difficult journey of healing our nation’s body politic.
A week ago, nobody outside of people who knew them directly personally knew who "the Tennessee Three" were. Now the entire world knows who they are, and now there's not a damn thing the Unreconstructed Confederates masquerading as Republicans in the Tennessee statehouse can do about them. The governor was forced to issue an executive order mandating background checks and has asked the legislature to pass a "red flag law." Justin Jones said tonight he's only heard people say they never will, but I think now that they have to operate in the glare of the lights with the rock pulled away that the cockroaches are going to have to do something. In the meantime, in the face of all that, the Indiana state senate passes a resolution commending the NRA, which is going to have their national convention in Indianapolis this weekend. Trump will be there as a speaker, along with the other Usual Suspects.
And Trump managed (again) to reveal himself as the dictator-wannabe he is in his "interview" with Phucker Carlson last night. Watching Carlson sit there listening to the gibberish with a look of adoration on his face, knowing from the Dominion suit what he really thinks... god what a collection of dumbphuckery.
Some great writing there, TC! I like your name for that schmuck, Carlson. Oh and I thought it might be redundant to say “Confederates masquerading as Republicans” because aren’t they one and the same?😄
They are, but they want you to think they aren't.
TC I finally upgraded to paid for Robert Hubble! We agree on so much! I basically posted the same thing on Robert Reich. WE ALL KNOW who the JUSTINS are now! It makes my heart happy!!
How about upgrading to paid at That's Another Fine Mess, where you can read all my stuff you agree so much on. :-)
I subscribed. You’re in next month’s budget for the upgrade. Thanks!!! All my upgrades have been worth every penny.
“….god what a collection of dumbphuckery.“
Yup and unfortunately there are waaaay too many people that believe each and every word spoken by that dumbphuckery to be true.
I, I can't find that in my dictionary 😉
🤣
the NRA held their convention around the time of the Uvalde massacre.
(Although Greg Abbott did switch from an in-person speech to a livestream. He didn't bother to attend any of the funerals for those victims. And he certainly took no action to prevent it from happening again. Beto should have won the governor's race.)
Due to their "take my gun out of my cold, dead hands" stance, this nation is experiencing lives lost to gun violence DAILY.
No matter when or where they hold conventions, it will be associated with "the most recent" preventable tragedy.
I'm fine with taking their guns from their cold dead hands. After we make them cold and dead.
We should emphasize that abortion is not only about ending an unwanted pregnancy. It is also the indicated medical procedure for numerous conditions, such as ectopic and molar pregnancies, cancer treatment, and miscarriages (often of very-much-wanted pregnancies). The draconian abortion bans are harming mothers of children who already exist, and women who want to become mothers but may not be able to because of dangerously denied medical treatment.
Excellent point. And I CANNOT imagine how difficult that must be to do, much less how difficult it would be to need that medicine and not have it.
The right portrays abortion as “girls just wanna have fun” version of birth control. (Which should be no one’s business anyway.) Most women seeking abortion are already mothers who don’t have the resources for more children.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/12/14/upshot/who-gets-abortions-in-america.html
As the women’s comments here reflect, some women are lucky to have easy pregnancies with happy outcomes. But, especially as women have children later than they used to, more difficulties can arise. Bringing children into the world is steeped in emotions of all kinds, with a huge array of complications. The mythology surrounding childbearing keeps the reality for so many well hidden. Just ask the women we know. More conversation!
I read it. Interesting.
Thanks for posting the link!
If the Mother dies, so does the fetus. So how can you deny the Mother treatment to save the fetus??? If there is a miscarriage the fetus is already dead, so why endanger the life of the Mother to save a dead fetus? Other than the obvious, is there something medically I don't understand?
The way these laws are written are so lacking in medical understanding that doctors and hospitals fear reprisals because the procedure is the same regardless of the reason for it. If they’re going after women having miscarriages, they obviously aren’t focused on actual healthcare. But this is getting beyond my knowledge of the specific laws in each state.
The same folks who gave us the "sanctity of life" meme have determined it is god's will if mothers die. True! There is so much Middle Ages religiosity behind it all, including the disposability of women.
Serves her right for having sex, ya?
Republicans do NOT care about women-they want only to control them and keeping them pregnant and poor is a good idea in their ideology-the more kids the better to keep them poor and unemployable.
And keeping the men angry and armed.
Just a note on your grains of sand: when Rosa Parks was arrested it was shortly after she (an employee at the ACLU) completed some training in nonviolent resistance by Miles Horton at Highlander education center. Highlander was also a place visited by Elinor Roosevelt and it continues today working for social justice. Pat sax
Forgive me, but the correct spelling of Mrs. Roosevelt's first name is Eleanor.
Hi David! IMHO, Eleanor Roosevelt was a saint. Her endless activism has not been given enough credit. I do believe it influenced FDR's legislation., as did his Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins.
Frances Perkins certainly did. I don't know enough about Eleanor Roosevelt to comment on her influence, but I'll take your word for it. But I'm obsessive about correct spelling.
It is a pleasure to read about people who deserve praise for their competence; I take that back -- for the excellence of their work: Alvin Bragg sticking it to Jim Jordan, Justin Pearson taking up the mantle of leadership, Joe Biden and family and staff in Northern Ireland. Let's name the effective judges as well -- Mary Kay Vyskocil, the Trump appointee who responded so effectively to Bragg's lawsuit, Eric Davis who is presiding so well over Dominion v Fox News. It may be too long a history with too many people to credit to appreciate those who brought us to a competent agency such as the FDA. It is worth knowing, though. These are the people who make the American system work.
Definitely, Leonard, and thanks for pointing them out. It is invigorating to see a Trump appointed judge being so thorough, so careful about Bragg’s lawsuit.
She may have been recommended to Trump by his older sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, who was a federal judge. (And who is not to be confused with former DC mayor Marion Barry.)
Thank you, Robert. I too feel so energized about the two Justins and Ms. Johnson. Listening to both of these young men speak is reminiscent of MLK’s speeches of hope. I think we might just get there sooner than later with this type of leadership. In the meantime, WTAF does Jordan think he is? He is so disgusting, so vile. I hope that smirk gets slapped right off of his gnarly face! Okay, I’m done. Thanks for all of tonight’s positivity.
I hope that what happened to Marjorie Taylor Greene happens to Jim Jordon and his clowns
YESSSSSSS
Today's article is a 'collectible'...thankyou from Venice, Italy. Jonathan Todhunter
Definitely! This one goes straight to my “Important” file-- thank you Robert! You’re a gem 💕
I could say something like that, but you already did. So I'll just say reading today's Today's made me very happy.
ACTUALLY pregnancy qualifies under short-term disability as an illness - entirely departs from how the FDA governs. I suspect the lawyers will consider that as part of their argument.
A couple of points… If Hillary Clinton had not coined the term, safe, legal and rare, we would be better off. It gave credibility to the forces demonizing abortion as a bad thing, when in fact, it is often a good and a necessary thing in women’s lives, it enables us to flee abusive men and to seek economic independence. Women like Lilly Ledbetter, and those brave souls who went to jail in the late 80s protesting the failure of the ERA to be ratified should join your list of honored ancestors, along with Pat McGinnis, who began the effort for safe and humane abortion services , along with sympathetic clergy, is another unknown hero.
Yup. Hillary and Bill were doing a dance around what should be a straight up right of womanhood. They were walking a calculated middle of the political road. Which also led to a banking crisis several years later.
But I also believe that some Dems and supporters of womens' right of choice have been too shy about saying things like: "There would be less need for abortions if sex education and contraception were more easily obtained. That maybe we would see less abortions if domestic abusers were punished more powerfully....if men literally had to bear the cost of raising a child they co-created...use DNA to track them and attach their pay for 21 years."
No question that reproductive choice should be an iron clad right. But society could do more to prevent unwanted pregnancies and hold men accountable for their acts.
Bill, your post is right on point. The damn fools would be far better off if they focused on sex education, contraception and reducing abuse. I’d add they might certainly be showing their love for children IF they focused on reducing childhood poverty, maternal and childhood deaths during or after birth.
Republicans do NOT care who they hurt, as long as they can control those they don't like, regardless of the impact they have on society as a whole.
Lauren, I don’t remember hearing that term, or maybe I wasn’t paying attention. When I read it just now I didn’t quite ‘get it’ but my hackles went up. I immediately felt like a person who must sugar coat something so as not to piss someone off. Like pussy footing around. That is the demonizing force right there- my God. Rare???? Freakin Pu-lease. Agreeing to it being a rare event only opens the opposition to say “YoK… we are all done here, it’s no longer rare enough”.
Actually Bill used that term - successfully, Hillary not so much.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/12/the-brilliance-of-safe-legal-and-rare/603151/
It looks like comments above took the words right out of my mouth. First, while all of your daily posts are very well written and packed with insights I value, today’s post was exceptional. The imagery created by your words brought back vivid memories. I remember as a young boy the unfolding events of the 60s: JFK, MLK, Bobbie, Selma, I have a Dream, Huey Helicopters and weekly KIA totals on Cronkite, Woodstock, etc. All were terrifying events in a world spinning too fast. But as a 72 year old, I look back and see how so many of these events started us in different directions. Butterfly wings. I see the seeds of change in your narrative and the images you created brought a smile to my face. Evoked emotion deep within. Fanned the glowing embers of hope. Simple acts of courage, in nondescript locales, are growing in frequency. The storylines are changing. It has been a long winter (especially up here in Minnesota), but spring is coming. Thank you for your daily dose of sanity.
Right On!
Re: The Justins. One interesting thing about this whole set of events is that for the first time, that I have seen, it is some black men standing up to call out the issue with gun violence. The ER doc in Tennessee who had to address those severely injured in that mass shooting said he was weary not because of that mass shooting but because he saw almost 3 or 4 gun injuries per day in their hospital. Sure the mass shootings are horrible but that is not the majority of gun injuries. There are plenty coming from other illegally gotten guns and being used. In the cities guns can seem to be a status symbol but even when used improperly there can be a code of silence about who did the evil deed. Maybe when black men of a young age shout out against guns others from the city may also get the message and turn away from this as a way to prove masculinity and settle disagreements. Fingers crossed.
You must be feeling better. That was an amazing piece of writing. I most particularly like the analogy that going into a trial is like a blast furnace... that will stick with me. And thanks for the ever-positiveclosing.
Of course, we’re all watching Jim Jordan WEAPONIZE the federal government against any of the R’s (aka Trump’s) perceived enemies. The irony is so stark and the lies are so big. We cannot become numb to their evil. Their goal is to normalize their avalanche of dirty deeds (courtesy of Michael Cohen) so they become course of business — just like the slow erosion toward Nazi-ism in the 1930’s. We must actively resist the fatigue that will pull us all under water. Call it what it is and do not look away.
The sad part of all of this is Jim Jordan’s constituents in the Ohio district he represents is so gerrymandered that he can do whatever he wants and not fear accountability with voters in his district. We need to change that.
Excellent Sheila. We cannot and should not look away or let moans of fatigue keep us from our active engagement. We are democracy when we take action, speak out and vote.
I knew what you meant by angle of repose from reading Wallace Stegner’s wonderful novel of that name. I see in my mind’s eye the crumbled rocks against the side of the mountain.
I was pleased to see the title of Stegner's book so well-used also.
Sometimes great art is what keeps me from despair over "what fools these mortals be." I've read Stegner's "Angle of Repose" three times. Also, be sure to find a photo of Rodin's sculpture of the same name.(Its official name is “ Spirit of Eternal Rest”.) I wish I were more adept at posting links.
Although the stars of the GOP clown show with all the ridiculousness are aligning with all these potential indictments and lawsuits, it still requires us to be uber-vigilant and Uber-active. We cannot just depend on the courts but keep clearly repeating the messages for 2024 and beyond. Thanks Robert!
So, if pregnancy is not an illness, why did I throw up all the time during the first trimester? Why was I on bed rest -- Dr's orders -- for the last trimester? This judge with no medical training, a Jesus fixation and a bad case of misogyny could use some education in the mysterious workings of the female body beyond his own fixed ideas, no?
Grains of sand can move mountains, especially when we all work together. If the Rupugliguns wanted to end liberal movement in this country, they badly misjudged the backlash. Of course, we badly misjudged the backlash that electing an African-American to the presidency would cost, but it did bring out the cockroaches into the full light of day. Now it's time for the other 70% of Americans to stand up for our freedoms.
Ellen, You are right to point out that the election of our first African-American president brought out the hidden anxieties and racism. Now it is front and center. The path ahead requires acknowledgment of this fact and the difficult journey of healing our nation’s body politic.